Old School

This morning, our Pastor, Dr. Ken Shaddox preached a great message on Psalm 4.  Truthfully I’d never really paid much attention to the 4^th Psalm before this morning.  I’m familiar with Psalm 1 and 23 and Psalm 37 is a favorite.  I love Psalm 46:10 “Cease striving and know that I am God.”   Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible and is a love song dedicated to God’s word, but I don’t guess I’ve ever really noticed Psalm 4 until today.

 In my Bible Psalm 4 is described as “A Psalm of David”, ‘an evening prayer for deliverance’.  Apparently, when David wrote this Psalm he was troubled.  David was on the run from his son Absalom.  Absalom was seeking to overthrow his father (and even kill him) and take the throne for himself.  According to 2 Samuel 15:6, “Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel”.  So David’s son and his people had turned away from him and David was forced to flee.

WOW, this is David’s own son.  Can you imagine how David must have felt?  To say that he was troubled is an understatement.  I’m sure David must have felt like a failure – a failure as a father and as a King.  Maybe David felt that he had let God down.  Maybe he felt like God had let him down.  Have you ever felt like this? 

How do we respond when we are feeling down and troubled?  Sometimes we get angry.  Sometimes we are ‘in denial’ – we just pretend that the circumstances that got us here just don’t exist.  Some people turn to drugs or alcohol or food or sex – something, anything to escape from their troubles.  Some of us kick it into overdrive and try to ‘fix’ the problem on our own.  Psalm 4 is a lesson for us about what to do in times of trouble.  Psalm 4 reveals to us a model – how did David (the man that the Bible calls ‘a man after God’s own heart) respond when he was troubled and ‘in distress’?

1.       The first and most important thing that he did was turn to God.

 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness.  Thou hast relieved me in my distress:  Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.  Ps 4:1         

David KNEW that God hears his prayers so it was natural for him to turn to God.  David had seen God’s actions and answers in the past – so knew he could turn to God in his time of difficulty. 

Why do we fail to look to God first?  We look to ourselves, to others, to the government and even to things, before turning to God.  We should look to God first – He has the ability and the inclination to help us in times of need.

Look at verse 3 – “The LORD hears when I call to Him!”

Of course calling on God is the answer but if we continue to read Psalm 4 there are other things we should do in times of trouble.

2.       “Tremble, and do not sin.” 

Verse 5 starts out with the words “Tremble and do not sin”.  That sounds awfully Old Testament to me but it is critically important (especially when we are having a hard time).  When we turn to God for help we need to do it with a humble attitude.  ‘Tremble’ here means to ‘Fear the Lord’ – have respect for and reverence for God when you go to him for help.  And “do not sin”!  Here David means ‘get your life right’.  How can we go to God seeking his help if we are not abiding by His commands?  If we are in trouble because of our own actions – because we’ve done something wrong… well, we need to quit doing that! 

3.       “Meditate and be still”

Unlike Eastern Religions and New Age meditation, Christian meditation is not simply emptying our minds but filling our minds with God’s truth.  How do we do that?  Focus on the Word!

David tells us to “Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still”.  Find a place away from the distraction of life and focus on God – focus on His Word – and Be Still.

“Be Still” means that it not enough to just meditate, we need to listen to what God wants to tell us.  Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call upon the Lord and He will answer thee and tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

4.        “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness.”

Again, this sounds very Old Testament.  What does this mean?  Let’s look at what the New Testament says about sacrifice.  Romans 12:1 says “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”  This could be a whole ‘nother sermon but suffice it to say that what we are supposed to sacrifice to God is… our lives, our bodies, our actions, our behavior.

‘Offer the sacrifices of righteousness’ means – “Do the Right Thing!”  Sacrificing what we might want to do in order to do that which we should do. 

5.        “And Trust in the LORD.”

This is good advice at all times but especially when we are struggling.  This is how we recognize that God is in control.  Let it go… recognize that “God’s ‘got this’.”  You’ve done all you can do

             You’ve humbled yourself and gotten your life right,

             You’ve meditated and listened for God’s voice,

             You’ve offer your life up as a living sacrifice…

Now Trust that the Lord will intervene.  God will do what’s right for you.  Know that God has your best interest at heart.

David wraps up his Psalm strongly saying, “Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us, O LORD!  Here David is saying “show us your face, God.”  When we see the ‘Light of God’s countenance’ all our difficulties pale in His glory.

Notice the difference in David from verse 1 to verse 7.  In verse 1 David talked of ‘my distress’ but now in verse 7 David says, “Thou hast put gladness in my heart.”  In the final verse David credits God with providing peace and safety. 

Psalm 4 is a model for how to deal with troubles and stress in life.  It makes me think of the old Carole King song in a whole new light…

When you're down and troubled

and you need a helping hand
and nothing, no, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
and you know wherever I am
I'll come running,
to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you have to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah
You've got a friend.

If the sky above you
should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together and call my name out loud
and soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
all you got to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?
People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you.
Well they'll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name and you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don't you know that,
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will.
You've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.

You've got a friend.

Next time you’re struggling with something in your life – when you’re under pressure – when you’re “down and troubled”.  Go “Old School”.  Heed the advice of David in Psalm 4 and then enjoy the peace and safety that only God provides.

New Year's Resolutions

According to Wikipedia...

A New Year resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a personal goal, project, or the reforming of a habit. A New Year’s Resolution is generally a goal someone sets out to accomplish in the coming year. 

How many of you have already set or are planning on setting New Year’s Resolutions for 2011?

Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. A separate study in 2007 showed that 78% of those who set New Year resolutions fail. 

Last year I made 15 New Year’s resolutions – I only accomplished 5 of them.  This year we are having a family get-together to establish our New Year’s Resolutions for 2011. I‘ve really been thinking about what these resolutions should be and how I might do a little better at accomplishing some of the goals I set for myself.

To get some ideas for my 2011 New Year’s I did a little research on the internet to determine what some of the more popular New Year’s Resolutions are... So...

According to an internet poll, here is the top ten list of New Year’s Resolutions.

10.  Get Organized

9.  Help Others

8.  Learn Something New

7.  Get out of debt

6.  Quit Drinking

5.  Enjoy Life More

4.  Quit Smoking

3.  Lose Weight

2.  Exercise More

And the #1 most popular New Year’s Resolution is…

1.  Spend more time with friends and family

           

After looking at this list of resolutions I didn’t feel that good about adopting any of them for my resolutions.  Some of them didn’t apply (like quitting smoking) - Some of them I know I’m just not going to do (like losing weight) and some of them I’m just not interested in (Like exercising more) - if you see me running...something's chasing me!

To help me figure out what my 2011 resolutions ought to be, this year I got the really crazy idea about turning to my Bible (instead of the internet) so I might see what God might have me set as my New Year’s resolutions for 2011.

Here are the resolutions that I believe God has revealed for my life and the bible passages that they’re based on…

# 1 SMILE

·        A joyful heart makes a cheerful face.  Proverbs 15:13

(What kind of people do you like to hang around with?  Grouchy, sour pusses that are always griping and complaining?  No, of course not!  If you’re like me you’d much rather be around people that are upbeat and positive with a smile on their faces and a spring in their step.)  “A Joyful heart makes a cheerful face” – tells us that we can know what’s in someone’s heart, by looking at their face.  Plainly stated this verse says, “If you have joy in your heart, you’ll have a smile on your face”.  When we have the ‘love of Jesus’ in our hearts, we have joy in our hearts and the Bible tells us that when we have that joy in our hearts ‘our face will surely show it’.  This year I’m going to try to make it a point to smile!  

I have my pastor's name (Ken Shaddox) written in Bible next to this verse.  He smiles a lot and its something that I want to do more of.   

#2 BE AN ENCOURAGER

·        Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.  Proverbs 16:24

(This means that we need to be ‘pleasant’ towards others.  Not critical and grouchy but upbeat and encouraging.  As Christians we are to be encouragers – helping others and lifting them up.  When we do this, it has a healing effect – it makes people feel good!  And not just the people that we are nice to… it makes us feel good too!)

·        Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.  Ephesians 4:29

I have my friend Phil Tacker’s name written in my Bible next to this verse because one time I was having a hard time remembering that my mama told me “if you can’t say sometime nice about someone then don’t say anything at all”.  Phil pointed out this verse to me and encouraged me to remeber it when I struggled with being an encourager.

#3 WORK HARDER

·        A little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty shall come upon you like a robber,  Proverbs 6:10-11 

·        Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds; For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure all ages.  Proverbs 17:23-24

·        Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It the Lord Christ whom you serve.  Colossians 4:23-24

I have Joe Fitzpatick’s name written next to the verse in my Bible because this was a verse that Brother Joe shared with me one time about the standard of excellence that God had set for our Youth Choir. – Good enough isn’t good enough – we must strive for excellence.

#4 BUT DON’T WORRY

·        For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on.  Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them, are you not worth much more than they?  And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?  And why are you anxious about clothing?  Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not array himself like one of these.  But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown in the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?  Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’, or ‘What shall we drink?” or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?”  For all these things the gentiles eagerly seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.  Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:25-34

·        Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.  Psalm 37:5

I love the lesson of Nehemiah – Nehemiah committed his ways to the Lord and Nehemiah trusted the Lord but Nehemiah was also a worker – And Nehemiah was diligent in his business (know the condition of your flocks…) Nehemiah didn’t just pray and then sit on his rump waiting for God to do something and Nehemiah didn’t just go to work under his own effort and hope that God would bless it… Nehemiah prayed and trusted God and then he went to work and they rebuilt the Wall of Jerusalem in 52 days!  I want that kind of balance in my life.

#5 BE GRATEFUL (& HUMBLE)

·        In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

(There’s not much to add here except to say I want to recognize that everything that I have, everything I am and all that is good in this world comes from God.) 

·        Deuteronomy 8:17-18 reads… Otherwise, you may say in your heart, “My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.”  “But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 

I want to be grateful and humble in 2011.

#6 BE GENEROUS

·        Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.  I Timothy 6:18-19

·        Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.  II Corinthians 9:7

(This is also pretty self-evident – the verse says God LOVES a cheerful giver…If I want to be loved by God...If I want to be a Man after God’s heart…Then I need to be a cheerful giver)

#7 BE A FRIEND

·        Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.  Proverbs 27:17

·        A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

It’s not so much that I want a friend that sticks closer than a brother (I am fortunant enough to have several of those kinds of friends) – it’s that I want to be that kind of friend!

#8 BE RELIABLE

·        But let your statement be, “Yes, yes” or “No, no”; anything beyond this is of evil.  Matthew 5:37

·        But let your Yes be yes and your no, no; so that you may not fall under judgment.  James 5:12

I think I'm pretty reliable in the truest sense of the word (you can count on me!?) but when you look at this verse, 'Let your "Yes" be "Yes"' holds me to a higher degree of accountability.

#9 BE ALERT

·        Be of Sober Spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  I Peter 5: 8

·        If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?  And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.  Genesis 4:7.

·        Proverbs 7:23 says, “As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life. 

(Sin is a trap that is baited attractively – if we are not alert we will be lured in – trapped and it can cost us our very lives.)

#10 MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE

·        My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life, and peace they will add to you.  Proverbs 3:1-2

·        This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night being careful to do according to all that is written in it for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success.  Joshua 1:8

·        And these words, which I am commanding you this day, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.  And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.  And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  Deuteronomy 6:6-9

(In 2009 from October through December I worked very hard to memorize the Sermon on the Mount.  I kind of became obsessed with it.  It was a daunting task but by the end of the year I had it committed to memory. During those three months that I focused so intently on those three chapters of scripture I was as close to God as I had ever been.  I didn’t listen to the radio when I was driving, I didn’t watch as much television, when I laid my head down at night I went to sleep reciting the sermon on the Mount in my mind.  The benefits of taking the time to memorize that passage were amazing;

·        It stayed my mind on God throughout the day.

·        It reduced my susceptibility to temptation

·        It provided continual guidance regarding real life situations that I was going through

·        It was as if it gave me and God something to talk about throughout the day.

Unfortunately, after I memorized it I kind of got off task.  I didn’t continue to work on it and I I didn’t take up a new passage to memorize.  I have even forgotten most of the passage now that I’m out of practice.  In 2011 I want that back.

These 10 Resolutions…

1.     SMILE

2.     BE AN ENCOURAGER

3.     WORK HARDER

4.     BUT DON’T WORRY

5.     BE GRATEFUL (& HUMBLE)

6.     BE GENEROUS

7.     BE AFRIEND

8.     BE RELIABLE

9.      BE ALERT

10.   MEMORIZE SCRIPTURE

Weren’t that hard to come up with – in fact it was kind of hard to keep it down to ten.  These are ten areas that I am praying God will help me with in 2011.  I’m going to be praying that I will be more successful with my 2011 10 resolutions than I was with my 2010 resolutions.

I hope that these 10 resolutions will be an encouragement to you to seek out areas that God wants to work in your life.  

What's in a name?

Both of my daughters (Katherine and Jessica) have blogs.  After reading their blogs for the past several months I thought, "Gee I ought to have a blog".  "It'd be fun to jot down some thoughts throughout the day and kind of have an online journal".
 
Jessica's blog is called "My Bag of Sunshine".  Its a clever name when you consider that she works at Jenkins Enterprises (our family's business) and that our logo features a bright orange 'rising sun'.

Katherine's blog is called "Love is in the Hair".  Also a clever name when you realize Katherine is a hair stylist with her own salon - Katherine Grant Salon & Spa.     

With two clever daughters I knew I had to come up with a name for my blog that would be both catchy and meaningful.  I'll let you decide if I've accomplished my goal.  My Blog's called "That's Bold Talk".  Its a reference to a line from one of my favorite movies. 

In the original movie "True Grit", starring John Wayne, Wayne plays Marshall Rooster Cogburn - a cagey old lawman with a black patch over his left eye.  In one of the final scenes, Rooster is single-handedly facing down four bad guys including their ringleader, Ned Pepper. 

Ned:       Rooster, what are your intentions?
Rooster:  Well Ned, I aim to kill you --- or take you back to Fort Smith and
               see you hanged at Judge Parker's convenience.
Ned:       It's four against one!  I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man.

Of course at that insult, Rooster takes them all on and quickly dispatches them. 

A couple of years ago, I was talking to my friend Mark Schaefer about something that I don't really remember.  But what Mark said to me, I've never forgotten.  After I'd finished my statement, Mark (knowing my love for John Wayne movies) said, "That's bold talk for a one-eyed fat man".

I thought I was going to die laughing.

Mark is a true friend.  The kind of friend that knows stuff about you and the kind of friend that knows how to put you in your place without being hurtful.  Mark knew that when I was 9 years old I lost my right eye in a BB gun accident (Rooster's eye patch is one of the reasons I've loved the movie all these years).  Mark knew I am a self described 'fat man' (weighing in at about 222 or the 'triple deuces').  Mark also knew that I can sometimes be a little "over-opinionated" at times.  So when Mark said, "That's bold talk for a one-eyed fat man", he was jokingly letting me know that this might be one of those times when I was being little "over-opinionated".

In this blog I'm going to try to restrain myself.  I'll use the title as a gentle reminder.